US Military Loans

Hey there.  I have a few friends over in the military and one of the great benefits, aside from serving our country, is all the great programs that help their families.  Whether it be grants, benefits, or loans.  One branch of the military, United States Marine Corps, have such great programs and if you or your loved one is in the military, you must take a look at the VA purchase options that offer awesome rates for home purchases.

It's part of the American dream to own a home, but let's be honest with ourselves.  Buying a home while serving your country is not easy on your own.  This is why these great programs were created, to offer help to those that decide to help their country.  They'll provide loans to those enlisted and their rates will be some of the lowest you'll find.  But what if you already obtained a mortgage before you enlisted?  You can still take advantage of the low VA refinance rates that are available.  Either way, you're in prime position to save money and buy that dream house for your family.

Don't just be a hero to your country, be a hero to your wallet as well.  Take advantage of the great programs readily available to you, our troops, and continue to be proud of being an American.  Later!

Start Your Own Business with SMC

Hey there.  You know, I just dawned on me that being your own boss should be the goal of every man.  Now, I don't mean man as in men, but man as in mankind.  When you take control of your business, you own profits, your own growing pains, you learn the true value of money as well as how to run a business.  Not all of us will be successful, but you'll never know unless you try.  This is why I love that SMC (Specialty Merchandise Corporation) is allowing you to be your own boss. 

They  have been around for over 50 years and have helped many realize their dreams of owning a private business.  So how does it work?  Simple, you buy products from SMC at a low, low, price and you in turn sell those goods in your store, online shop, or private business.  And their selection of goods is huge.  Anything from garden to toys to home decorations.  And the best part is that you don't have to drive around to get to work.  Work can be anywhere you want it to be.  No more traffic, no more stubborn bosses, no more annoying coworkers.  It's you, and you're business savvy, working directly with potential customers.  And if you don't think you can do it alone, no worries.  SMC also offers business coaching for new business owners, and guess what... IT'S FREE for the first few weeks.  Just enough help to get you motivated and confident that you can run your business.

Now, many people will digress and say that this is nothing but a scam.  Many have filed SMC complaints and SMC addresses the complaints head on.  You have to admire and respect a company that listens when people are not happy.  In my opinion, when I through the complaints, I noticed that the people that were complaining had failing businesses and to be honest with you, you really can't put that on SMC.  It's human nature to place the blame on someone or something then we fail.  But on the other side of the coin, there are those that have had huge success using SMC.  If you're still iffy on the whole thing, feel free to read this SMC review to get a better understanding of how it works.  There are many SMC money makers out there.  If you're willing to take that leap into being your own boss, do it with a company that has your back and will guide you through it.  It's better to have someone by your side to guide you, then to jump head first.  Later!

Where Can I Get Cheap Printer Ink?

Hey there.  You know what the problem with printers are?  The ink.  Yup, the ink.  You can get a pretty good printer for about $40 now a days but high ink cost can definitely make it a high priced investment.  I remember having a printer where the inkjet cartridges were more than the printer price itself.  And this was just the standard black ink!  And it sucks because I've been contemplating going back to school but knowing that there is heavy duty printing involved, I think twice about the costs.  There are definitely high quality printers out there, it's just a mission to find printer ink in the cheap.

And it's not so much school work that worries me when it comes to printing.  We have thousands of pictures that need to be printed.  Going to our local store can cost a pretty penny when printing pictures from SD cards.  So the printer I get will definitely be one that would have great picture quality printing.  And if I'm going to print thousands of pictures, I'm definitely going to need some cheap ink. 

So what do you guys recommend?  Is there a quality printer that you guys use and how much do you usually end up spending on ink cartridges?  Or what should I expect to pay in ink per year?  Having a family, I'm sure that video game cheats, coloring pages, recipes, guitar tabs, etc. etc. would be printed on a constant basis so I assume that my ink usage will be a little on the higher side.  You thoughts, my friends.  Later!

I Need a New Computer. Maybe a Dell?

Hey there.  I'm in the market for a new computer.  Ever since I can remember, I've owned HP computers and each and every one has gone down in flames.  Well... not literally in flames but I've either had to repair it many times or get it replaced.  I think I'm ready to move on from HP and maybe try a Dell.  I've stumbled across a few Dell coupons and I'm thinking that it may be time to give one a try.

First off, I need both a laptop and a desktop.  Why both?  Well, I don't feel comfortable letting the kids use the laptop.  I just feel as if there are more fragile than a desktop and if they were to drop it while messing around, there's more chance of it being a goner as opposed to a desktop.  I figured that stepping into a store would be best to try the computers and have hands on experience but the best deals are definitely online.  Just check out these  Dell coupon codes that I've found.  20% off, $250 off, 25% off...  There are some great deals there.  It's just a matter of finding the computer that's best for me and the family.

But I wouldn't be savvy without checking out different sites.  I want the computers but I want them at the lowest possible prices and I think I found the Dell coupon codes that I'll be using.  Especially when I can get free shipping AND money off.  I don't need much, but I don't want a crappy machine either.  Maybe I should just build one from scratch.  Nah... I don't want to hassle with finding the parts.  Hopefully, I'll be able to start working from bed very soon.  Later!

Finding the Perfect Location for Your Home

Hey there.  When we first started house hunting, we put some serious thought into whether or not we were going to stay in Los Angeles.  Not because we don't like it, but because the real estate here is so expensive.  We looked into some ocean side locations in San Diego, we looked into homes in the Orange County area, and we even went out of state and checked out the Sacramento area.  We ended up, in what is our home, in Long Beach, California but not after we did our home work and checked many places out.

When considering to buy a home, price is not the only thing you should account for.  Are you looking at a house as an investor?  Something that you plan on living in only for a short period of time before you are ready to sell.  Are you looking at a house as a permanent resident?  Someone that is not looking for a house but looking for a home.  A place where they can raise a family and live out their years.  It's something to definitely take your time to consider the options.

So, are you guys home owners? What did you guys take into consideration before saying, "this is the house for us."  I'm curious to hear if every one had that "this is it" moment.  It sure felt that way with us.  Let me know.  Later!

Super Bowl XLV is in the Books

Hey there.  I know, I know.  I'm late to the party.  The Super Bowl is now 3 days removed and I am just getting the chance to add my 2 cents to the whole thing.  The game itself was awesome, the halftime show was eh, and the commercials were simply hit or miss.  First the game:

The game was great.  I think that the NFL has had a nice 4 or 5 game string of awesome Super Bowls.  I believe they all were close in the end, they all had some sort of theatrics going on, and they all were decided by a single score.  This was no different.  The Steelers, even with their 3 turnovers, were in position to win the game in the 4th qtr.  Down by six point and possession of the ball, the script was written for Steelers QB Big Ben to march down the field and take the win.  But it wasn't to be.  Not this time.  Packers QB Aaron Rodgers played the best game of his life and earned himself the MVP and the Lambardi Trophy.  He can finally emerge from that huge Brett Favre shadow that has followed him ever since Favre left Green Bay.  Congrat to all your cheeseheads.  You guys deserve it.  Now, on to the entertainment.

Christina Aguilera botched the national anthem and the Black Eyed Peas are so outdated I'm extremely surprised they were chosen to play the half time show.  You would expect that Christina would practice the national anthem a billion times considering that this is the biggest of stages in all of sports.  She completely missed a line and added words to the song.  As for the Black Eyed Peas, I'm not the biggest of fan of theirs, but at least their light show was good and it was cool to see Slash on stage.  I feel as if the NFL has gotten the jitters when it comes to their shows and are playing it extremely conservative.  Ever since the "wardrobe malfunction" incident, the half time shows have not stood out like they used to.

As for the commercials, some companies got it right while others completely bombed.  I'm looking at you, Coke.  Really now?  Drink a Coke and you're dragon will start spewing fireworks?  What are you trying to say?  That was one stupid commercial and there was no appeal what so ever.  And considering that it was CGI, I'm sure it was a pricey mistake on your end.  One commercial that definitely got it right was the Volkswagon commercial featuring a young Darth Vader.  That one was awesome.  It was funny, intuitive, and all around fun.  Awesome job WV.  Awesome job.  Check out the commercial below.

All in all a good experience.  Can't complain about the product that the NFL has given us.  The game is as popular as it ever has and it has continued to produce awe inspiring performances.  Great job NFL!

On a side note, I want to give some thoughts on the whole thing being in Dallas.  There is no doubt that the stadium is awesome.  Top of the line, state of the art type stuffs.  However, Jerry Jones greed was a complete embarrassment to the league.  Jones wanted to break the NFL attendance record for the Super Bowl.  That records sits somewhere around 105,000 people.  Jones added extra seats to the stadium in an attempt to break it.  Sold the tickets and everything and then on game day, the fire marshall explained that they were not safe and had to be removed.  You know what that means?  That some 500 people or so were turned away from the game.  TURNED AWAY!  Can you believe that?!  You've just managed to get a ticket to the Super Bowl and have made travel arrangements, got a week off from work and what not only to be turned away at the gate.  What a HUGE black mark on what was an awesome day.  There was a letter that was handed out to those who were turned away but don't you think that letter would have served a purpose a few days before the game?  And even if they knew that they couldn't seat all ticket holders, they should have created an area where those that could not be seated could have hung out, watched the game, and still say that they were there.  The NFL tried to make it right by offering some $2500 to each ticket holder.  I just don't think that's enough.  In my opinion, that's just soul crushing.  Later!

Time to Hit the Gym

Hey there.  Yeah, yeah, I know... I sound like a broken record.  I'm going to gym, I'm going to work out, I'm going to be fit... blah blah blah.  This time I mean it!  lol  The only thing that I'm debating on whether or not I should go in the morning, or at night, and whether or not I should look into getting some kind of weight loss pills, not that I need them or anything, just as a little added boost. I've had my eye on those Slim 9 pills but I'm beginning to think that maybe they're for the ladies.  I'll have to check that out further.  A little added boost never hurt anyone.  Especially since the name "fat ass" has been lingering around me for quite some time now. lol

You know, I've never really been a gym rat, but there was a time a few years ago when I took the exercising thing seriously.  I've found myself to be a little out of breath and all so I'm looking to regain that composure.  I'm 28, I'm not old (I don't think) and I don't think that climbing up some stairs should warrant some deep breaths.  I'll take care of it though.  I'll post my results here.  I'll get started tonight or tomorrow morning.  I'm leaning more towards tonight because let's be honest, friends, I don't think tomorrow at 5 am is gonna happen.  lol  Wish me luck!  Later!

Bohemian Rhapsody: Muppets Style

Hey there.  The kids really have been enjoying Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen.  I would sing it at home all the time because that's just what I do.  lol  But since the song is featured in Rock Band 3, the kids have been exposed to it more so than usual and they've started singing it out of the blue now as well.  They are definitely Queen fans.  Especially my youngest daughter since she requests Bicycle Race all the time.  lol  Well, this one is for them.  I heard about this awesome rendition featuring the muppets and I had to add it.  Enjoy!

Blood Shed and a Smashed Finger

Hey there.  This story is old news for those of you that follow me on Facebook, but I wanted to make a post about it to get into the story and details behind it.  My youngest daughter smashed her finger.  She did it herself by accident.  She did it with the car door.  My wife had to unlock the door and open it to free our daughter.  That's how hard she slammed the door...  and the end result was not pretty.  Check it out after 2 days.

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!

Yup...  It's black.  At first, it only looked a little bruised.  It didn't hurt when I flexed her finger and she seemed ok once the initial pain went away.  I didn't think that she would need medical care.  It did swell up a little and thought that an ice pack on it would be good and check it out in the morning to make sure she's ok.  Her finger looked bruised the next day but nothing to worry about.  It was expected since she took a hit to her finger.  She went to school with a huge smile on her face like it was no big deal.  When she got home, there is a letter attached to her folder stating that the nurse thinks her finger may be infected.  Infected?!?!  How can that be if she didn't even bleed?  Nevertheless, we didn't take any chances and my wife took her to see a doc the next day.  The doc says that she will need to go to urgent care right away.  Urgent care?!?!?!  What the...  we didn't even think it was that serious, why urgent care? 

After hours in urgent care, because urgency has a different meaning in California....  -.- ... we finally see a doc.  I look at my baby's finger and instead of a bruise, you see the above picture.  It turns out that when she smashed her finger, she began to bleed inside her finger.  The blood had nowhere to go so it was pooling up in her finger, causing it to look black and slowly increasing the pressure inside her finger, causing discomfort and pain.  The doc explained that we will need to drain out the blood by making an incision on her finger. 

My daughter didn't like that plan all too much.  She's not a fan of seeing blood and instantly associates blood with pain.  I told her what they were going to do and assured her that all would be ok.  After telling her that it wouldn't hurt and that she would feel nothing but a sting, she lied down on the bed and braced herself.  The doc used this super hot needle/pen thing to burn a hole in her nail.  He lightly tapped the nail until he got under the nail and blood began to drip.  I assume that the doc realized that the blood was not pooling under her nail but on the side of her finger so he grabbed a needle and poked a small hole on the side of the finger.  Bingo.  Blood oozed out of the finger.  All the while, my daughter kept cool and collected.  The doc then applied a little pressure to get the blood out of the finger and prescribed some antibiotics, just in case.  No complications, no nothing.  Just soak it in warm water and watch out for any discomfort or pain.  As long as there's no pain, there's no problem.

What?  We're done already?

So that's the story.  So far, no pain.  Her finger no longer looks swollen, but it's still a little black.  But at least it's a lighter shade of black.  I'm certain that after a few more days of soaking it in warm water, it'll start getting it's normal shade of pink, or is it brown?  Let's just call it human.  lol  I'll keep you posted on her recovery but she's a 5 year old girl that's super active.  Good luck in trying to keep her in "recovery" mode.  Until then, later!

Going to Work... With My Dad?

Hey there.  Do you believe in ghosts?  I believe that there definitely is something after life... not so sure of ghosts, though.  Maybe better referred to as energies?  You know, people have always been infatuated with things that go bump in the night and other "scary" occurrences that go on during a normal day.  If that wasn't the case, we wouldn't see films like Paranormal Activity being made.  I, myself, have experienced many things at home that I simply cannot explain.  I'm beginning to wonder if maybe those somethings are beginning to happen at work.

This morning, I walk into my office and I turn on my computer.  Nothing odd about that.  I go and grab my coffee and sit down, ready to tackle today's work load.  That's when it hit me...  why do I smell cigarettes?  I don't smoke, my window is closed, and no one has been in my office.  Why the smell of smoke and cigarettes?  Hmmm...  I walk around and sniff to see if maybe I can get to the bottom of it.  Nothing.  A coworker then walks by so I ask if she can step into my office.  I ask if she can smell it.  (insert inappropriate fart joke here)  lol  She says smell what and I tell her cigarettes.  She doesn't so she calls me crazy and walks away.  Hmmm... maybe I am crazy, but then again... I think I know what it is.

I wouldn't doubt it if it's my dad.

Yup, my pops probably followed me to work today.  Why followed?  Well, because I wouldn't doubt it if all the weird stuff that goes on at home is him as well.  Footsteps in the hallways, cabinets opening on their own, my dog being let inside the house when the doors were locked, corona bottles opening by themselves, cans and jars rocking back and forth... the list goes on and on.  Today... I can add, noticed my dad at work.

My dad had 2 distinct scents to him.  He loved to splash on Brut cologne (yup, old school) and he smoked... a lot.  You know how some people say that you can tell the presence of an "energy" by smelling a scent that they were most associated with.  I would say the two I mentioned definitely would fit my father.  Also, I recently mentioned to my kids that we would go see grandpa this weekend so maybe the smell was his way of reminding me that I better go see him.

It's been almost 20 years now since my pops passed and it intrigues me that most of the "activity" centers around the kids.  Their toys go off on their own, their swing sets swing on their own, bouncers are bouncing without batteries.  Recently, the baby has taken a liking to my dad's drawing on the wall. 

He'll start to point, laugh, and stare at it from time to time.  My oldest, when he was younger, would say that "a ghost" would tell him where things were and to stay away from fire.  And then not too long ago, my youngest daughter started mentioning that she's been talking to "little grandpa" and has shown a stronger interest in seeing him more at the cemetery.  So I guess today turned out to be, "tag along with my son to work to remind him to go see me at the cemetery" day.  lol  No worries, dad.  I'll be there.  And we wont forget the beer.  Later!

Getting the Girls Some Clothes

Hey there.  You know what's great about being an adult?  Besides doing all the great things adults can do legally as opposed to the younger generation.  lol  It's the fact that once I buy clothes, it's almost guaranteed to stay in my closet until 1) I manage to destroy it with paint, cement, holes, etc. etc. or 2) I gain/lose too much weight.  It's a given that clothes will last you when you're an adult.  The same cannot be said for kids.  Especially young girls, who want to follow in their mom's footsteps and have a variety of clothes as their wardrobe.

With that being said, we have always been on a mission to find stylish and affordable girls clothing.  With 2 growing young ladies, what they own is quickly donated when it no longer fits and all that clothes needs to be replaced.  A new favorite of the girls happens to be Tea Collection's latest collection, Viva La Artista.  Especially since my oldest is looking to be an artist. It's definitely worth a look if you're into stylish and affordable clothes for your young ones.  I'm certain that you will find something that caters to your taste.  Later!

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income for 2010

Hey there.  2010 is gone and we are kick starting 2011 with last year's income report.  A common question that I get asked is, "How do I make money online?"  The answer I usually provide is, "With a lot of work!" but to be honest, that hard work is not to make money, but to build an audience that will actually visit your site, providing you with that opportunity to make money through ads, page views, and sponsored posts.  Once you've managed to have a small following, then you can turn your focus on earnings.  Here's some of the highlights (and lowlights) of my year:

• October was my best month.  Total income that month was $161.37
• May was my worst month.  Total income that month was $2.80
• IZEA, Inc. (Sponsored Tweets, SocialSpark, Payperpost) was my my biggest money maker.  Total income for the year was $563.76.
• Mylikes was an up and coming earner for my Twitter account.  I started using it in June and made $110.01 for the year.
• Blogsvertise was an up and coming earner for my blog.  I started using it in October and made $187.00 for the year.
• Total income totaled $1,074.95.  Well short of my goal of $1,500.00

All in all, I want to deem 2010 a disappointing year.  I made approx. $1,200.00 in 2009 and was hoping to increase that by a modest $300.  I believe that I would have exceeded my goal if I didn't have a few months where I was out of sync with my blog and didn't post or work as much as I should have (I'm looking at you, MAY!!!!).   However, I am excited about a few opportunities that have opened up to me.  Especially, the spot I have earned as a writer on DragonBlogger.com.  I have three articles written there and my quota is 4 a month.  It's tough to get it done when you don't have a working computer at home!!!  But I'm excited about it and I need to get the ball rolling on that. 

So there you have it.  A total of $1,074.95 made from my modest, little blog.  Not bad, no?  Short of my $1,500 goal for the year, but that's not stopping me from increasing my goal yet again.  $1,700.00 for 2011!!!  Whoo hoo!  Let's do this!  Thanks, friends, for making it happen.  Later!

I Love My DVR

Thanks for the post from Barney Crosby

I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am for my DVR. This is the one electronic device that I have in my home that I actually know how to operate. I use it on a daily basis and I am not ashamed to say that when my old one broke, I had a new one within one day. I just cannot be without it. While my cable tv always has great shows on, I work crazy hours at the local hospital. There are many times that I cannot watch TV until late at night or early in the morning. Thanks to my DVR, I can still see all of my favorite shows like CSI, 16 and Pregnant, and Desperate Housewives. All I have to do is make sure that I set the device to record them while I am gone. Then when I do get to actually sit down, all of my faves are there waiting. This thing has completely changed how I watch TV and I will never be without one as long as I can help it.

Always Be In The Know With ESPN

Guest post written by my buddy Lavern Small

Almost everyday I manage to catch ESPN on my expert Satellite tv. Even though I'm a woman I do love my sports. ESPN provides me up-to-date segments on all the teams I love. The commentators are very personable and often very funny. There is a bit of analysis on different teams and also several opinions on many subjects as well. There is also the very helpful ticker on the bottom that will display the scores and highlights from the night before.

ESPN is great because they have fun with sports. It's not always a serious subject. For example, my favorite show is Pardon The Interruption of P.T.I. which airs in the late afternoon and early evening between segments of Sports Center. Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are perhaps some of the funniest sports commentators I have ever come across but yet they still provide the material that the people are interested in.

What I also enjoy about ESPN is not only it's sports analysis and breakdowns. They also broadcast wonderful programs that a truly enjoyable. These programs can showcase athletes giving back to their community, granting a child a wish, or even a program about the adversaries that an athletes has had to overcome to be where he is. This network allows people to see athletes as more than just a sports figure. It makes them human and we as an audience can connect deeper to the people who deliver our favorite sports.

Going Christmas Shopping

Authored by Raymond Whitney

One of the best parts about the holiday season is getting to go shopping for people I care about. While I try to let them know how much they mean to me every day, the holiday season allows me an occasion to go out and buy them something I know they will like.

I usually go holiday shopping with my wife (except when buying gifts for her, of course). We've camped out for Black Friday before, but usually we wait for a couple of weeks after that to get our shopping done. Some of our favorite stores include Best Buy and Toys "R" Us for our sons, as well as Gap, Aeropostale and American Eagle for our daughter.

Unfortunately, the holiday season is also the time of year when many robberies and home invasions happen, due to people trying to take advantage of others and ruin their joyous time. Because of this, I make sure that I always set my security alarm () before I leave to go Christmas shopping. That way, I can focus on what's truly important, and not have to worry about the unfortunate parts of the holiday season.

Christmas Eve is 2 Days Away

Hey there.  Are you guys ready?  Have all the gifts been bought?  Have all the cards been sent?  Are you done with all the madness that is Christmas shopping?  I'm glad to say that for the most part, the shopping is done and done.  Only a few gifts need to wrapped and it is done and done.

Aaaaahhhhh!!!  the chaos!!!!

As opposed to other years, we took a different approach to X Mas shopping and it actually worked out pretty well.  Kids always get gifts, that is a given.  They get gifts from mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and aunts and uncles.  You know who doesn't always get gifts?  The adults!  So this year it was changed up a bit with emphasis on getting the adults in the family gifts.  Don't get me wrong, the kids will still get theirs, but a gift for the couples were a good idea this time around.  It made shopping extremely easy, since you avoid those oh so popular toy heavy stores and the lines were more tolerable than those at toy stores.  I'm not saying that it is something that should be done every year, but after all the years the adults get all the kids in the family gifts, it will be nice for them to receive one that is not part of a secret Santa exchange.  Best of luck, for those procrastinators out there and to all, have a great holiday!  Later!

I need a Vacation

Hey there.  I didn't come in to work yesterday.  And no, friends, it wasn't a kick back, I'm not going to do anything, kind of day.  lol  Both of my daughters were going to perform in their school's annual Christmas Program and I wanted to be there.  And... the school was going to honor both of my daughters for making honor roll.  Yay for my girls!  So the schedule looked something like this... 

7:00   Take girls to school
8:30   Have breakfast
10:30 Christmas Performance
12:30 After school party
2:30   Get son from JR High
4:00   Honor Roll Assembly
5:30   Honor Roll Assembly
6:00   Go home

As you can see, school related activities were nothing but planned that day and you know how well things turn out when you plan out your day.  Here's what really went down.

7:00   Take girls to school
8:30   Have breakfast
10:00 Go to Target to get MiniDV recording tape
10:35 Run to school auditorium
10:40 Realize that stupid camcorder is not working
10:50 Said screw it and took video with my phone
12:30 Made it to after school party
2:15   Take my youngest to get her hair cut
3:05   Speed off to get my son from JR High
3:35   Experience LA traffic jam
4:10   Run to school auditrium
4:30   Get text invitation to my cuz's b day thing for that night
5:00   Have small "lunch"
5:30   Honor Roll Assembly
6:15   Go to my aunt's for b day thing
10:00 Go home

Yeah...  that' didn't go as originally planned.  lmao  Needless to say, I need a vacation...  But like a real one.  Where the day is not used for home projects, shopping expeditions, or school related activities.  But like, a real vacation.  Yeah... that would be nice.  lol 

I came into work and for being out for a single day, it seems as if hell on Earth rained down on me.  More than 250 Emails sitting in my inbox, more than 10 voice mails waiting to be answered, boss saying there were complaints because I wasn't there...  It's like... man, can't have a day to myself without my work world going down in chaos???  *sigh*

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Guest post written by Sidney Owens

My family's favorite time of year is Christmas! We always put the Christmas tree and decorations up right after Thanksgiving. It's a tradition.

The first thing my husband, my kids, and I do is hang the stockings on the fireplace. My kids get so excited just putting their stockings up, knowing when they see them on Christmas day, they will be full of goodies.
Then, we put Christmas trinkets of Christmas characters and Christmas stuffed animals on the fireplace with lights all around them. It is beautiful.

Then, we put the tree up. First, we put all kinds of lights on it, especially multi-colored ones and blinking ones because my kids love those. Next, we put the ornaments on it, my favorite part! There are ornaments we decorated and made ourselves, ornaments the kids made in school, birthday ornaments, and a variety of colorful Christmas ornaments. We decorate the tree until there is no room for anymore ornaments left! Once all the ornaments are up, we put tinsel on the tree. This gives the tree a sparkle
.
Under the Christmas tree, we put a train. It reminds me of when I was a kid.

I love to just stand back and look at all the decorations. It puts me in the Christmas spirit! So, after we are all worn out from decorating, we watch Christmas shows on Satalite TV deals!

Building a Gingerbread House

Hey there.  Last night, the family embarked in their first ever gingerbread house.  I know, I know.  How can it be the first one???  Well, quite frankly, they're hard to decorate so if we bought one, it most definitely had to be pre-decorated!  Well, last night we decorated it ourselves.  The wife went out and got 2 gingerbread kits.  One being the house and the other being the tree.  Since the women have better decorating prowess than the men, the girls decided they wanted to do the tree while my son and I did the tree.  We all agreed and we set off to our adventure.

The icing mix was easy to make but the mess... god, the mess...  There was white and green icing EVERYWHERE.  And to top it off, the instructions on the bag of icing were all wrong.  We used almost twice as much water to get that "toothpaste" feel and once it was poured in the decorating bag, it started to ooze out!  lol  Once that was done, I created a base of the gingerbread tree with cardboard and foil.  Nothing fancy, just a circle cut out wrapped in foil.  Then we started building the tree, which was simple enough... just place icing on a star shapped cookie and stack em up.  At this point, I look over to the girls to see how there were doing, since we were doing just awesomely.  lol  And I see the wife struggling to build the house.  I ask the girls how they're doing and this exchanged happened:

Wife:  Ugh!
Me: How you ladies doing?
Oldest Daughter: Ok, I guess.  I'm just watching.
Wife: You're not watching, baby.  You're supervising.
Oldest Daughter: No I'm not.  I'm just watching.

All the while, the youngest daughter is sitting there holding the decorating bag of icing and letting it drip into her hand.

Me:  What are you doing, baby?
Youngest Daughter:  Nothing, just holding the bag.

At this point, the wife figured that the girls were getting bored, watching her trying to keep together the gingerbread house.  She asked me to build it because "men are better at building things" which the girls gladly agreed.  lol  So I stepped in and put together the house and once the icing dried up, let the kids go at it.

Instructions? Who needs instructions when you have imagination!

After icing, candy, and everything else splattered all over the table, the finish product looks pretty damn good.  Check em out.

Too bad they need to be eaten!

All in all, it was a fun experience.  The clean up is a pain, but the kids enjoyed it.  Considering that it's our first one ever, not too bad, right?  Next time, we'll learn how to do the swirls, icicles, and all the other fancy stuff in the instruction booklet.  But until then, we have these delicious looking structures that we built.  Later!

Christmas Spike in our Electric Bill

Guest post written by Beth Klondike

Every year I try to convince my husband that he should lay off a little bit on all the Christmas lights that he puts up on the outside of my house and in our front yard. I really think that it's kind of getting out of control by now. But he honestly just won't stop, so I put up with it anyway.

I went online to try and find some new decorations that would take up less energy than the ones that we've been using for years. While I was doing that I came across the site ClearTVBundle.com and read through it and ended up showing it to my husband. Now this was one thing that we could agree upon, so we signed up for the internet service for our home.

Well, I found some Christmas lights that are supposedly more efficient than the typical ones. So my husband ordered some of them and is replacing some of our lights with them. Hopefully they'll cut down on our electricity bill some this year.